I keep listening to one person after another parsing all the different ways they can do so in support of the “Trump shutdown” of several agencies of our federal government. Of course, Trump is claiming he’s willing to continue shuttering the government for “years” if need be to BULLY democrats into giving him (and the fools who believe Mexico will pay for it) the so-called “wall.” This wall, of course, is nothing more than a false promise that has NO chance of EVER being built – more than anything it shows the gullibility (or stupidity – take your choice) of the people in America who are choosing to remain as Trump supporters. Even, just hypothetically, if Trump got the funding, the construction of a wall on our southern border will NEVER be built.

It would take something like $40 BILLION to fund the “wall” and that doesn’t include all the LAND the government would have to claim using “eminent domain” which would require court challenges lasting for enough years for common sense to prevail. Trump will be GONE no later than the end of 2020 – that’s if he makes it that long. That being said, when you think about it logically the democrats CAN NOT agree to give him the $5 BILLION he wants at this point to do who knows what. Just stop and think – whether you’re a republican, democrat, independent, or whatever would happen if the democrats cave. You would have Trump and future presidents using “government shutdowns” to get what they want “or take their basketball and go home” over and over again.

Then there’s the threat to claim this is a national emergency as another way to force Congress to give Trump his money. I think even republicans are cognizant enough to see the fault in this solution to the present problem. They really didn’t like when President Obama used an executive order to create the DACA program and, I believe, they see the writing on the wall that post Trump it’s very likely it will be MANY years until we have another republican president. One thing Trump has accomplished is to wake up the progressives (liberals – more and more are actually claiming that moniker) and they’re lining up to run against Trump or anyone else who republicans manage to nominate in 2020. With policies like this latest fiasco Trump is turning more and more people into democrats! (Of course, if democrats “cave” to Trump, “all bets are off”)

While I’ve pointed out many times how pathetic Trump is, the other day I almost came to the conclusion I hope he finishes out his term. I can tell you why in two words: Mike Pense. Yesterday I forced myself to listen to a recording of Pense’s phone conversation with Rush Limbaugh where he soiled himself much like he’s done so many times in Trump’s presence. This, however, was just about too much for me. This dude Pense, and I can’t believe I’m going to write this, is even MORE of an embarrassment than our so-called president. Pense was actually thanking Limbaugh for urging Trump to close the government over this STUPID “wall.”

So, we’ve now got to the point where something like 800,000 government public servants will miss a paycheck and we’re well past where those who support our government as contractors in a plethora of ways will struggle to recover. Additionally, private businesses that function in areas which are frequented by government workers – like, for example, restaurants and grocery stores – are losing large amounts of money from which they will likely be unable to fully recover. And, it goes on and on, all because our so-called president appears to fear Limbaugh and Ann Coulter – kind of like republicans seem to fear Trump. (Maybe it’s Limbaugh, Coulter, and Fox “news” they fear as well)

The worst part of all this to me is that the evidence Trump is a totally illegitimate (so-called) president based on the ILLEGAL activity he indulged in during the campaign as “individual 1.” That’s not even taking into account the LIKELIHOOD Trump conspired with Russians to get elected – along with the ILLEGAL payments to the women he chose to have AFFAIRS with while Melania was at home taking care of Baron – a toddler at the time. (In fact, apparently, Trump was “fooling around” while Melania was pregnant with Baron. This is the man who bragged about being able to grab women by the pussies because he was “famous.” That didn’t bother the evangelicals who formed his base, so who knows if they would have cared about Trump paying off these women to “affect the outcome of the election?” As a (liberal) Christian I have to say I hope it would have had an affect, but sadly, I don’t believe it would have.

That evangelicals form his “base” grieves my heart every time I think of it, not only because of the sexual impropriety at a level that suggests deviancy, but also, Trump is a serial LIAR and that was no secret prior to the election and his RACISM likewise was no secret. While I am and was disgusted with how many American could vote for him, at the time I “got” that Hillary Clinton was every bit as despised by MANY Americans and she did not run a well thought out campaign. Yes, there were obstacles she faced that no other candidate in history has had to overcome, but the truth is MANY “liberals” chose to “stay home” or vote for an alternative candidate. For example, the two libertarian candidates, who were embarrassing to listen to (I listened to them) garnered enough votes to swing the election from Mrs. Clinton.

Speaking of the Russian “influence” to get Trump elected, if you remember, the Green Party Candidate, Jill Stein, was at the same dinner in Russia which was part of the downfall of Michael Flynn, back in the early part of the campaign – I’m guessing the plan (by the Russians) was to help her run her campaign in another way to peel off disenchanted democratic voters with Clinton as the democratic candidate. So, in addition to Trump ILLEGALLY hiding illicit affairs to “win” the election, he had America’s number one adversary secretly working “overtime” to swing the election in his direction.

And, Trump’s long history of association with the Russian mafiya is NO secret to anyone who’s got even the least bit of curiosity so all the recent information hitting the “liberal media” connecting Trump to Vladimir Putin and suggesting he’s in “cahoots” should not be a surprise. What’s really curious to me is the willingness of republicans to not only go along with Trump but to actually be fully supporting him. I’m not the only American wondering whether the republicans in Congress remember their OATH was to the constitution – NOT to Trump or their political party? Even with the “Trump shutdown” we see over and over the illogical argument put forth by one republican in Congress after another in defense of Trump’s un-patriotic position. (Keep in mind, this is not about a “wall” – it’s about Trump’s “connection” to a bunch of right wing corporatists who don’t believe government is “essential” – despite their receiving more than their share of the benefits)

For example, one of the republicans on the forefront of republicans defending Trump is Lindsay Graham – who, it seems to me, has lost his mind since Trump was elected (does Trump have “something” on him?). In Graham’s remarks, if you listen carefully, you get the idea he’s on board with Trump blaming the democrats for this “shutdown” – despite Trump actually claiming responsibility a week or two before these departments ran out of money. Sadly, many in the media allow Graham and other right wing “talkers” to get away with ANOTHER false equivalency. Laying responsibility for this “shutdown” is undeniable. Democrats in the House, soon after taking control of that “chamber of government,” passed the same republican led legislation which was earlier passed in the Senate (almost unanimously) – legislation which includes something like $1.6 BILLION in “border security – and Mitch McConnell won’t allow a vote on it because “Trump won’t sign it.”

So, logically speaking, if you want to have an argument about whose fault this “shutdown” is, you’re logically limited to an argument of it’s either Trump or McConnell. Personally, I’m leaning toward McConnell, who seems to cower in the face of the possibility Trump might make an uncomplimentary “Tweet” aimed his way. Either way, you can’t logically blame the democrats because they keep sending bills aimed at opening the government to the Senate. The fact McConnell or Trump don’t like the “details” (although republicans already agreed to these details in an earlier Senate vote) doesn’t change the FACT they are the ones keeping government “shuddered.” Logically, there’s NO other way to look at this – so our liberal media needs to stop allowing this false equivalency to continue. It’s the republicans BLOCKING the reopening of our government!

Recent articles in the New York Times and the Washington Post by Pulitzer Prize winning journalists and supported by multiple sources indicate Trump has been investigated by the FBI as a possible “asset” of the Russian government and Vladimir Putin, which is no surprise to someone like me who’s read MANY books about Trump’s connection to Russia and, more significantly, the Russian Mafiya. It’s harder and harder for me to understand why so many republicans are willing to attach their “wagon” to Trump’s impending DISASTER – which very likely will come when Robert Mueller gives his report. (I feel as if I should be referring to Trump as “individual 1” to better make my point – I believe he’s like an organized crime “boss”) There’s so much circumstantial evidence connecting Trump to Russia and Putin that it’s alarming that republicans, of all of America’s politicians, would be his “base.” Republicans have embraced the “alt right” as the base of their party going forward. This would suggest the republican party is on “life support” – at best.

With this “shutdown” Trump is DIRECTLY undermining America’s government – but, there appears to be many indirect actions he’s made which may be doing even MORE damage. I keep asking myself, is Trump simply an “idiot” or “moron” as has been suggested by Rex Tillerson or Jim Mattis or is he actually an OVERT TRAITOR? He’s undermining NATO, he pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accords, he undermined the Iran Nuclear Arms agreement (they’re now suggesting they’re going to start their nuclear program again), and did you see him in Helsinki?

This morning I listened to Chuck Todd of MSNBC interview first, Ted Cruz, and then Tim Kaine. As you would surmise Cruz and Kaine had almost opposite “talking points” but, as I was listening to this, I came back to my disgust with the “liberal media” – in this case Chuck Todd – as almost, by how they seem unprepared in interviews, these “commentators” almost encourage the false equivalency I referred to above. Certainly Cruz is a lawyer and knows how to “debate” but people like Todd shouldn’t allow them on the air unless they’re willing to prepare themselves to respond to FALSE comments they KNOW are coming! “We the people” depend on the “fourth estate” for government accountability – and, people like Todd need to prepare themselves for interviews to prevent themselves from becoming the patsies of people like Cruz. When it’s possible our so-called president is a TRAITOR all hands should be “on deck.”

Final Thought: As usual, my apologies for “publishing” without rereading and editing.